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For a second straight day, the House Judiciary Committee heard testimony but took no vote on the measure. Committee Chairman Joe Fischer said it could come up again Wednesday.

“My opposition to this legislation isn't because I lack compassion for the sick, but because I think it's wrong to herald marijuana — with its many proven negative qualities.”

Keith Cain, Daviess County sheriff

A day after hearing from medical marijuana supporters, the panel took comments from law enforcement officials and a Warren County prosecutor. They warned that legalization could exacerbate Kentucky’s drug addiction woes.

“This is a road we do not want to go down,” said Chris Cohron, representing the Kentucky Commonwealth’s Attorneys Association.

Legalizing medical cannabis would send the wrong message, creating “a dangerous illusion” that marijuana is safe, Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain said. That would be “a sure prescription for increased use,” especially among young people, he said.

“My opposition to this legislation isn’t because I lack compassion for the sick, but because I think it’s wrong to herald marijuana — with its many proven negative qualities,” the sheriff said.

Opponents also included groups representing police chiefs and narcotics officers.

Tommy Loving, representing the Kentucky Narcotic Officers’ Association, pointed to a section of the bill that would allow each medical marijuana patient to possess up to 12 mature cannabis plants. That would equal about 12 pounds of harvested marijuana, he said. [Editor’s note: That’s not entirely accurate. According to Leafly’s cannabis experts, while some outdoor plants grown professionally can produce more than a pound of cannabis, most novice growers gardening indoors average about 1 to 2 ounces of cured flower, which can vary widely in quality.]

A day earlier, medical marijuana supporters said the bill would strictly regulate medical cannabis and leave it up to cities or counties whether to allow it.

The bill would license use of medical cannabis. Those seeking access would have to clear multiple steps, including approval from a new state enforcement agency. Potential patients would have to show they have qualifying conditions, such as cancer, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder. If approved, they would be given a special ID and would have to go to state-approved dispensaries to buy medical marijuana products.

Each step of the process would be licensed — from those growing cannabis, to the processors, distributors and dispensaries. An excise tax would be imposed at the wholesale level.

Participation would be optional for local communities. City and county governing bodies would decide whether to allow local medical cannabis licensing. If elected officials refused to act, local residents eventually could mount efforts to put the issue on the local ballot.

Some committee members started staking out their positions on the bill Tuesday.

Rep. Jason Nemes said he ran for office as a medical marijuana opponent, but said his position evolved after listening to advocates. He’s now a legalization supporter, he said.

“Who the heck do we think we are as a government to keep this away from people if it helps them,” the Louisville Republican said.

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I do understand how that sucks Aaron. I’m sure it is only a matter of time before Kentucky will probably legalize.

Jackson Shredder

I don’t think that a Pin-Head Public Servant had a say in what the law will be. Then he quotes Nixon antics about Marijuana. That’s ok cause the black market still needs to thrive and Kentucky will be served by the black market. Hey, NO TAXES for the state and Tax free weed for the users. Sounds like a WIN/WIN Situation to me.

TOBY T

Law enforcement in Kentucky, what a joke. The only law and justice in Kentucky is the kind that is bought and paid for. He who has the most money/ deepest pockets wins. Try to live here. I would love to know the strain they are referring to where a grower is guaranteed a pound per plant. Most patient grows that I have seen are quite a bit smaller than that. Most patients, not all, are indoor grows and at a pound per plant, 12 plants would eat up a lot of room. Outdoor grows, now that’s a different story. The law enforcement in Kentucky is too military like. The anti drug way of thinking (brain washing) goes way too deep in this state. I’m so sick of every one speaking like cannabis is something new. Like man invented the plant or something. It’s been here long before our dumb human asses and it’ll be here long after we’re gone. Those that think they’re in control, are just too scared to admit how misinformed and undereducated they are. Greed and control are the only driving forces at work in Kentucky. My only hope is that I am proven wrong.

James Proffitt

LEO is doing the commercial growers a favor.

Jimmy R

Amen. I live in Louisville, where the city council overwhelmingly endorsed the bill this week, but the cops are a whole different story. Our house was burglarized and trashed a while back, and after insisting that the culprit had to be an ex-lover (cos we’re gay, even tho we’ve been together 25 yrs), the cops debated whether to charge me when they chanced upon an old pipe my sis gave me in the 70s.

I’ve been smoking weed for fifty years now … since undergrad days, and I’m an old guy now. I have thus far suffered no health issues as a result. My dad and grandad grew up on a KY farm, and their bemused reaction was, “Loco weed?! That stuff grows wild out behind the barn.”

What I don’t get is why police organizations nationwide are pro-legalization…but not here in KY (where we have the perfect soil for it!). Obviously, they think there’s more money to be made under the table than atop it…but their “thinking” is wrong, stupid and ass backwards.

Law enforcement needs to enforce the laws not make them. This is abysmal ignorance purporting to be truth.These people want to steal your freedom! Their excuses are out right lies , ignorance and bigoted.

Suzanne Cheavens

The ignorance expressed by LE is astounding.

Chris Voris

Just as should be for Hoosiers….No Kentuckian should have to leave their home, their family, their friends, to obtain a life changing medication! No person, anywhere, should have to leave their home, their family, their friends, to obtain a life changing medication!

Michael Anthony Carbone

Tommy Loving, didn’t you mean to say 2 pounds per plant and that the white female smokers would attract black and mexican penises and the whole white race will be destroyed?

lovingc

I would like to see the list that the sheriff says there are on its many proven negative qualities, all this moron knows is prohibition.People that know nothing and are proud of their ignorance are very dangerous people.
Cannabis is one of the safest therapeutic substances there is.The knowledge that these fools lack is their own fault they are happy and mentally lazy!
Once again cannabis causes insanity in LEO’s and governments.Grow up, this is not Reefer Madness, it is reality and people that can read do not listen to ignorant fools like this sheriff.

Thomas Tony Vance

I always ask these rubes, “Where are the bodies?” They never produce them!

The Kentucky Chiefs of Police Organization issued a
statement calling for the continuation of marijuana prohibition in
Kentucky. The reasons listed, all tell
us what will happen if marijuana were legalized and available to Kentucky’s
citizens. The list is an homage to
classic prohibition talking points. They
list things like teen use going up, domestic violence and traffic accidents
increasing and there is even a claim that using marijuana will cause people to
become alcoholic! It is prohibition that
causes people to turn to the legal drug alcohol, the more damaging and
addictive of the two!

The claims of the Chiefs are the same old ones that
have been debunked over the years. One
would think these claims would have been checked out by the 29 States that have
medical marijuana programs and the 10 States that have full legalization for
both medical and recreational use.
Another thought is they were checked out and the investigators found
they weren’t of enough concern to continue prohibition.

Besides being debunked scientifically, they can be
debunked by common sense. These things should be apparent in the legal
states! Let’s look. California, for
example, has had a medical program since 1996, more than twenty years. If the prohibitionists are to be believed,
you would expect these things to show up, but in California as in the other
states, these things have not happened. Where are the numbers that support the
claims of the Chiefs? There has been no
significant increase in teen use or brain damaged teens. No significant increase in traffic accidents
or domestic violence or criminal behavior.
In short, where are the bodies?

California is not alone. Simply check the State records of any of the
States with working medical or recreational policies. You find the numbers are not enough to
justify cannabis prohibition any longer.

Chris McMillin

They have a facebook page. Lets take these comments there and let them know how ashamed they should be.